Kosmos

Culture, travel, fashion and culinary delights: the Kosmos pages of Lufthansa Magazin bring you interesting and useful tidbits from around the world

CULTURE CLASH

A curtsy, a bow, a kiss of the hand? None of these are common in Germany (anymore), but elsewhere, traditional forms of greeting are still taken very seriously.

Ceremonious salutation

First forehead to forehead, then nose to nose – that’s the traditional Maori greeting in New Zealand, hongi, which is rarely practiced by regular people, but not even the British royals can escape the ritual when visiting the country on official state business.

Gentle gesture

In Ghana, people greet each other with a firm handshake that culminates in a snapping of middle fingers and thumbs. Anyone new to this style of greeting is generously afforded a second chance.

Snappy greeting

In Ghana, people greet each other with a firm handshake that culminates in a snapping of middle fingers and thumbs. Anyone new to this style of greeting is generously afforded a second chance.

It takes two…

The best place to see and learn to dance the tango is Buenos Aires, where the sensual dance was born and where the annual International Tango Festival and world championships take place (August 9 – 22).

Towering talent

A master poised between Classicism and Avantgarde: MoMA New York is showing sculptures (photo: “Endless Column”) and photographs by the Romanian-French artist Constantin Brâncuși (1876-1957) through the end of February next year.

Big beat time

With their eclectic mix of house, hip-hop and indie pop, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, aka The Chemical Brothers, can still whip up a storm on the dance floor two decades on. The Manchester band’s videos and light shows are legendary. Catch them live in Munich on Aug. 17.